Buyers Guides

This holiday season give the gift of the ultimate off-road experience with Polaris’ 2019 line-up. Polaris, the industry leader in off-road vehicles, has unveiled their 2019 vehicle lineup which includes the RANGER XP 1000, RZR XP 4 Turbo S, Sportsman XP 1000 and the GENERAL 4 1000 EPS RIDE COMMAND Edition. There is sure to be something for everyone this holiday season including the gnarliest ride for the adventure seeker, outdoor enthusiast, blue collar worker, or adrenaline junkie. Polaris even has something for kids with…

-- TIRE TEST: A true all-terrain tire from the mud experts --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels:
Interco Tire Corporation has been building some of the most trail-worthy tires for trucks since 1968. Some of us recall how wildly popular their Super Swamper and Bogger truck tires were for extreme mud and trail conditions. That’s still the case these days for the Louisiana-based company. They’re taking their know-how of successful truck tires and implementing that into ATV/UTV tires, and the end result is awesome. One of…

-- Dexterity work gloves comfortable to drive or ride with --
“Dexterity” derives from the Latin word “dexter,” which means “skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.” We know this because Google told us so. But gloves are an important item to wear while wrenching, riding or driving. Only certain people can ride gloveless for a long duration without getting blisters. Mere mortals need extra protection. Riding gloves are starting to go up in price and are usually built thin, which means they won’t last for an…

-- Installing a better skid plate & testing it out --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
Polaris has not left the underside of its UTVs unprotected. Each has a factory plastic skid plate installed, but the plastic isn’t heavy or thick. It balances weight with maximum protection, but some people drive terrain that is a bit challenging. Ricochet Off-Road has been providing protection for off-road machinery for over 35 years. The reason? Ricochet is located right at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and there is ample…

-- 3 great shocks for $999 ----
By the staff of Dirt Wheels --
Most sport quad riders are weekend warriors who love upgrading their machines. One of the smartest purchases you can make is in the suspension department. A lot of riders think that adding power parts will make your quad faster. That can be true; however, if you don’t have the suspension to handle the added power, you won’t go much faster. While racers get the best and most tunable shocks they can find, most of us just want something better than stock…

-- Testing a locking brake for your UTV --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
Frankly, we hadn’t thought much about our Polaris RZR not having a parking brake. It has park in the transmission after all. But, after talking to the Scorpion Lok guy, we realized that we might not have to deal with that horrendous clunk when shifting from park while parked on a slope.
FEATURES
The Scorpion Lok is simple in concept, but it is a precision-made little product. In simplest terms, it is a spring-loaded hook that mounts to the…

-- Testing their new Motactor system --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
If you talk to any rock-crawling or mud-pit-running enthusiast, they will generally have a winch nestled on their machine. These riders love terrain that features the risk of getting stuck. Having the ability to get yourself out of a sticky situation is crucial. For the past 70 years, Warn has provided hub and winch products that help off-roaders get back on the trail. The company just released their new top-tier Axon winch line for ATVs and UTVs.…

--Testing this handy towing package --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
If you couldn’t tell by now, we are extremely fond of bringing along tools and items needed to keep us safe and out on the trails longer. Most UTVs have a bed where we can strap down our tools like the UTV Grab Bag Recovery kit. The bag comes with a few useful pieces to assist you in pulling you—or more likely a buddy’s rig—out of a bad situation or to tow a machine back to camp. This handy bag of goods sells for $69 and is a great addition to your…

-- Product test : Keeping a cool head --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels .
LS2 makes a wide range of helmets for different uses. This LS2 MX470 Subverter is primarily an off-road motorcycle helmet, but it is a great choice for quads or UTVs as well. The MX470 Subverter full-face motocross helmet uses LS2’s proprietary Kinetic Polymer Alloy (KPA) for the shell. KPA is lightweight, and it has a small amount of flex as part of the energy management system. But, in this case, the biggest feature of the three different shell…

-- Testing for grip and strength --
By the Dirt Wheels test crew:
Manufacturers of UTV tires are in a constant battle to build the best tires. Some tires are specific to the terrain you love to ride, while others offer a broad range of traction for multiple types of terrain. One thing stays consistent—these companies are struggling to make a tire that is light yet strong enough to withstand the harsh abuse drivers put their favorite toys through. Fuel Off-Road came out with its Gripper R/T 32-inch tire and Anza D918…

-- Front & rear kits for more ground clearance --
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
High Lifter is well-known in the industry for doing what the name implies—lifting ATVs and UTVs through suspension and steering products that they create. However, they know that not everyone wants to jack up their ride to tackle mud holes. Many want to keep their machines low but gain more ground clearance. We have a 2018 Scrambler 850 that we are upgrading, and we picked up sets of High Lifter’s Max Clearance front and rear control…